County: Offaly Site name: TOGHER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E0932
Author: Ellen OCarroll, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Watercourse and Bridge
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 650999m, N 732878m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.343679, -7.234124
A palaeo-channel (the remains of an old stream or water source) was situated at the southern end of Ballybeg Bog. It meandered in a south–north direction and could be traced across the Bord na Móna field surfaces by poorly humified yellow Sphagnum peats. It was traced northward for a distance of over 550m, after which it appeared to run into a large Sphagnum pool or an extremely wet area. The source of the palaeo-channel at its southern end was difficult to determine, as it broke into several large, shallow pools. The palaeo-channel itself varied in width and depth along its length. It was 3m at its widest point and 1.4m at its deepest, in the central area of the bog. This palaeo-channel contained archaeological sites, which were excavated at several points along its length.
One of these sites was the remains of a hurdle panel. A hurdle structure is composed of wooden rods woven around wooden sails to form a panel. The hurdle panel was at the southern end of the palaeo-channel. The excavation revealed a panel comprising three double sails interwoven with around 40 rods. The panel was 2.6m long, 1.6m wide and 0.11m deep. From preliminary analysis, the wood used for the construction of the hurdle appeared to be Corylus avellana (hazel). Bark was noted on most of the wood. The palaeo-channel, which was also excavated at this point, was 2.6m wide and U-shaped in profile. It was not very deep and was only excavated to a depth of 0.4m.
The hurdle panel was probably constructed on dry land and then carried out onto the bog. It would have been laid down over the stream/palaeo-channel to give access to the other side of the bog.
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